Massive Fish Deaths in Thanh Hoa Reported to Vietnam PM

Authorities in Vietnam’s central province of Thanh Hoa have sent a report to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc over the massive death of natural fish and fish raised in aquatic farms in Tinh Gia district, state media has reported. Last week, local fishermen found around 100 kg of natural marine species die and wash on the shores of Tinh Hai commune from the waters 300-500 meters behind Nghi Son Refinery’s port. Several days later, about 47.45 tons of farmed fish died in Nghi Son island commune, leaving damage to 21 out of 66 households. On Sept 8, fishermen in Hai Yen commune continued seeing dead natural fish wash ashore. About 200 kilogram of dead flounder, snapper, perch and other species have been collected. The extensive fish deaths have affected the life and production of local citizens so the province’s People’s Committee has proposed the government leader to instruct related ministries to inspect the issue and specify reasons. Meanwhile, on September 12, authorities in the neighboring province of Nghe An caught in red hand a ship discharging a huge volume of industrial waste into the sea waters. The ship belongs to Ho Chi Minh City-based Hiep Thanh Co. Ltd. The company said it was permitted by authorities in Thanh Hoa to throw solid industrial waste in sea waters in seven spots within the province’s territory. It is unclear whether the discharge of Hiep Thanh Co. Ltd is related to the mass death of fish in Tinh Gia district. Environmental pollution is systemic in Vietnam which prioritizes economic development without paying sufficient attention to environmental protection. Earlier this year, the Taiwanese Formosa steel plant in the central province of Ha Tinh illegally discharged a huge volume of toxic industrial waste and caused the environmental catastrophe in the coastal line of the four provinces and killed hundreds of tons of fish in April. (Saigongp Sept 12)